From CNN.com, a report that the Chinese government will meet with a representative of the Dalai Lama. This strikes Imagethief as something that be the result of a piece of external advice. You know, it would really look good if you would at least sit down with them... But who knows. Perhaps its a totally sincere effort at a constructive resolution.

In the CNN story is this quote from the Dalai Lama's secretary, Tenzin Takhla:

"His Holiness, since March 10th, has made every effort to reach out to the Chinese leadership.

"He has long said: 'The only way we can solve our differences is with face-to-face dialog.'"

CNN also carries a quote from a nameless Chinese government official, taken from a terse Xinhua report that is apparently the source of the story:

"It is hoped that through contact and consultation, the Dalai side will take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games so as to create conditions for talks."

Quite a difference in tone there, with the Chinese striking a conspicuously aggressive stance. I'm afraid that the contrast will leave western audiences as sympathetic as ever to the Dalai Lama. But of course, that can always be attributed to CNN's "biased reporting".